Guatemala Blog January 16, 2016

January 19, 2016 at 5:15 AM

Guatemala Blog January 16th, 2016

We have arrived in Guatemala and after an overnight stay in Guatemala City we flew up to the Flores district. Here we will spend the next two days in the jungle and visit a few of the nature reserves and Mayan ruins. The first site was the Tikal Ruins which lie within a 576 square kilometer national park. Among the 54 species of mammals in the park Spider Monkeys and Growler Monkeys rule the trees.

We will be in this district for the next two days and I’m posting our first three days of blog tonight (Monday Jan 18) as the connection was very week where we were staying in the jungle. Enjoy our first day’s selection of images.

Beautiful blue skies as we flew from Toronto to Mexico City

You can see the mountain rage as we approach Mexico City

The morning of the 16th as we board our small plane to fly into the jungle region near Flores. Dick and Janice in the foreground.

Danny capturing a few shots before breakfast after we arrived in Flores.

Fisherman overlooking the colourful village of Flores.

Breakfast before we headed out to Tikal.

The view from the deck were we had breakfast.

Arrival at the Tikal ruins, did I mention Paul is our good will ambassador.

This is a large scale model of the ruins here at Tikal.

Some of the interesting trees in the jungle, some are recorded back to Mayan times.

Jungle Reflections

Complex Q twin pyramid.

Pyramid Q, until the excavation they were complete buried in the jungle.

As we continued our hike through the jungle, beautiful shade.

A Growler Monkey watching as we walked passed him on the trail.

A Spider Monkey jumping from tree to tree above us.

More of the jungle trails.

Temple 4 over 64.5 meters high, we took the trail and steps to the top what a view.

The start of the steps.

This is the view from the top, the highest temple in the complex. For those of you that are Star Wars fans portions of Episode IV the return of the Jedi were filmed here.

A panoramic view from the top, the other temples you see the bases are deep in the jungle below.

This gives you an idea of the size.

The group of warm photographers after our climb.

This is Temple Talud-Tablero a great example of how Mayan’s built higher temples on top of existing temples. You can see the steps that have not been peeled away like an onion skin to reveal earlier builds of the complex.

A slate tail.

This is the lost world temple.

A Guatemala Ocellated Turkey one of the many birds within the national park.

Another view of lost world temple.

Another spider monkey swing overhead.

Spider monkey walking along the temple wall.

This was a Kings castle within the complex.

A panoramic of the plaza complex.

A few people to give you an idea of the height.

A view from the back.

More spider monkeys.

This guy is from the racoon family, it is call a Caotimundi.

A view of the jungle from our lodge.

Our first Guatemala sunset from our lodge.

JJ capturing a shot with his iPad.

Last shot of the day, goodnight from Flores, Guatemala.

That's a wrap for this evening check back tomorrow for more photos and updates from Guatemala.

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Posted by
Patti
on
Jan 21st, 2016

Reminds me of Cambodia. I see Paul hasn't stopped chAtting up the ladies!

Posted by
Mary Rae
on
Jan 23rd, 2016

Fascinating architecture! I wonder how long it took to build just one of those temples, let alone the other buildings. Just goes to show that ancient civilization had brilliant engineers,too.